Tibet ready to welcome mountaineers' spring rush

The Tibet autonomous region has started its annual spring mountain climbing activities this week in expectation of welcoming 469 participants, the Tibet Mountaineering Sports Management Center said on Wednesday.

The center, also known as the Tibet Mountaineering Association, held a ceremony on Monday for mountaineering reception crews to start the season in Lhasa, the region's capital.

This year's spring mountaineering activities will take place on the region's 8,201-meter Mount Cho Oyu and on Mount Qomolangma, the world's tallest at 8,845 meters, also known as Mount Everest in the West.

"This spring, the region is expected to welcome 469 domestic and overseas visitors taking part in climbing, trekking and mountaineering guiding," said Sonam, the secretary of the Tibet Mountaineering Association. He, like many in the region, uses one name.

The overseas participants come from 33 countries, Sonam said. Foreign participants will enter the region at Gyirong on the Nepal border on April 4 to get ready.

In 2018, the region received 752 climbers, mountain guides and support crew members from 36 countries for its spring and autumn climbing seasons, according to the center.

Qomolangma draws a huge amount of attention globally from climbers and tourists. This spring, 144 overseas and 12 domestic climbers will attempt to conquer the mountain, and 208 Nepali Sherpa guides will work on the mountain.

Mount Cho Oyu, the world's sixth-highest mountain, will receive 17 people from overseas this spring, including climbers and two international mountain guides. Fourteen Nepali mountain guides will be assisting on Mount Cho Oyu.

Apart from climbing, 73 overseas participants will be trekking near the 5,200-meter Qomolangma Base Camp, some of them will work as support crew at the camp, and the trekking activity will have one participant from Taiwan.

Nyima Tsering, head of the Tibet Sports Bureau, said China's highest peaks are all in Tibet, and the region is key to the country's mountaineering activities.